Summary: A new adaptive whole-brain modeling framework offers promising steps toward objective, brain-based diagnostics for neuropsychiatric disorders—conditions that today largely depend on subjective clinical assessments and lack reliable neuroimaging biomarkers. By enhancing the Landau-Stuart oscillator model and introducing adaptive, individualized parameter fitting, researchers simulated resting-state fMRI signals in a way that better captures person-specific neural … Read more

Summary: New research overturns a longstanding assumption in neuroscience by showing that spontaneous and evoked synaptic signaling arise from distinct transmission sites within a synapse. Rather than sharing the same molecular machinery, these two modes follow separate developmental trajectories and regulatory rules, allowing the brain to balance adaptability and stability. In the primary visual cortex, … Read more

Summary: The microstructure of an infant’s white matter at three months old can forecast emotional development over the first year. Using advanced Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), researchers mapped how early organization of neural pathways relates to changes in positive and negative emotionality and in self-soothing. The study found that specific white matter … Read more

Summary: Researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Helmholtz Munich and the University of Sydney report that several major psychiatric disorders share common biological mechanisms. By analyzing postmortem tissue from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex at the exon level—the fine-grained segments of genes that determine how proteins are constructed and which protein isoforms appear—the team … Read more

Summary: A randomized clinical trial from UCLA found that ibudilast, a neuroimmune-modulating drug once considered a promising treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD), did not outperform placebo overall. All participants reduced their drinking during the trial, but a subgroup—women taking ibudilast—showed a larger decrease in drinks per drinking day, suggesting a possible sex-specific benefit. Baseline … Read more

Summary: As gaps in mental healthcare persist, more people are turning to AI chatbots for guidance about psychiatric medication side effects. A new study from Georgia Institute of Technology assessed how well large language models (LLMs) detect and respond to these complex, high-risk situations, revealing important limitations in accuracy and actionability. Although many AI systems … Read more

Summary: A new international study shows that emotional and behavioural difficulties in five-year-old children can be predicted using risk factors present during pregnancy and the newborn period. Using artificial intelligence to analyse data from nearly 6,000 children in a UK longitudinal study, researchers identified a set of early-life indicators—including maternal smoking during pregnancy, low birth … Read more

Summary: Marijuana use among U.S. adults aged 65 and older rose to a record 7% in 2023, representing nearly a 46% increase since 2021. The rise is most noticeable among college-educated, married, higher-income individuals, particularly women. Researchers note the trend is stronger in states that allow medical marijuana and among seniors with chronic health conditions, … Read more

Summary: A large U.S. study finds that following the MIND diet—a dietary pattern emphasizing leafy greens, berries, nuts, whole grains, fish, and olive oil—is associated with a meaningful reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Analyzing dietary data from nearly 93,000 adults, researchers observed the clearest and most consistent protective effects among … Read more

Summary: A large new study shows that epileptic seizures are far more common in people with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) than previously recognized. In some cases, seizures appeared up to ten years before the formal FTD diagnosis, suggesting that epilepsy may be an overlooked early sign. The findings underline the importance of screening for seizures in … Read more